


Down the Rocky Road

by hutchabelle



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Family, Ice Cream, Loss of Limbs, Military, Military Families, Traditions, Veterans, Veterans Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27726537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hutchabelle/pseuds/hutchabelle
Summary: Written for Seasons of Everlark, Special Request AutumnPrompt: A bit off of the fall feels so perhaps not in your wheelhouse but how about some Everlark for Veteran’s Day...it is November 11 in the US. [submitted by anonymous]
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Katniss & Peeta's Children/Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29
Collections: Seasons of Everlark— Fall 2020, SoE: Autumn 2020





	Down the Rocky Road

**Author's Note:**

> In the United States, Veteran’s Day was first celebrated on November 11, 1918, as Armistice Day, the day of surrender of the Central Powers to the Allies in World War I. Since then, the day has been renamed to celebrate and thank veterans of all American wars and conflicts. It is unique from the American Memorial Day celebrated in May, which is a holiday that began following the American Civil War to honor deceased military and family. If you or a family member has served, thank you. America is in your debt.

“Mom, why do we have to do this?” Lily Mellark whined as she and her family pulled into the cemetery and their car ground to a halt.

Katniss turned to look at her daughter, her lips pressed into a frustrated line. “We do this every year, Lil. Where is this coming from?”

Katniss watched as her teenager fidgeted, her eyes flicking but everywhere but her parents. Finally, Lily shrugged and slumped into her seat. Turning to her husband, Katniss brushed the pads of her fingers lightly along his tense jawline. It hurt Peeta that his children didn’t seem to understand the importance of the day.

“How many flags do we have today, anyway?”

Peeta turned to his son and smiled tiredly. “Only 100, Archer. That’s 25 each. Think you can handle that, Lily?”

Lily’s face fell, clearly upset about her father’s harshness. It was rather unlike him. A gentle soul, Peeta was a wonderful, loving, compassionate father and husband, who typically spoiled his wife and children with nothing but an abundance of adoration. That he’d snapped at his daughter was indicative of how irritated he was.

“Yes, Dad,” she mumbled, appropriately chastised, as she climbed from the car.

Katniss rounded the car and took her husband’s hand. He flashed a distracted smile and leaned heavily on his cane, easing the pressure on the prosthetic that replaced his left leg from the knee down. It bothered him more when the weather turned cold and misty, which this November day certainly was. Threading her fingers through his, she nodded and faked a cheerful, “Let’s do this.”

They walked slowly, staying together at Lily’s tentative suggestion, as the children placed the flags on specified graves. It was comforting to all of them, this tradition they had of decorating military graves on Veteran’s Day, paying homage to not only Katniss and Peeta’s military service, but Katniss’ sister and multiple family friends—Finnick Odair, Gale Hawthorne, Johanna Mason, among others—as well.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Lily mumbled once they were back to the car. Leaning into her father’s side, she blinked back tears when he gathered her close and kissed the top of her head.

“I know, sweetheart. I know you didn’t,” he murmured lovingly. “I just don’t want you to forget the sacrifices so many people have made for all of us. We’ve been celebrating this day for over a century. It’s important, especially for a military family like ours.”

“Do you want us to join the military?” Archer asked, his eyes widely innocent as only the young can be about something so dangerous.

Katniss glanced at her husband, suddenly frightened of her son growing up in a world that had been at war the entire time he’d been alive. What were they doing to the younger generation by leaving them with the mistakes of the older ones?

“That’s your choice, darling,” Katniss said and hugged him close. “If you decide that’s what you want to do, your dad and I will support you. If you’d rather go the civilian route, that’s fine, too. There’s no pressure to follow in our footsteps. We want you to walk your own path.”

“There’s plenty of time for you to decide, Arch. You, too, Lily. You can stay our kids for a little bit longer, okay?” Peeta added. “Now, are you ready for the next part of our Veterans Day tradition? I’m getting Rocky Road.”

The kids tumbled into the car, overly excited about ice cream for breakfast before they went to school. Katniss swallowed hard and blinked away tears. Her offspring did have a rocky road ahead of them, but she was grateful for them and that her husband had survived his injuries and battle wounds. She gazed out over the cemetery and offered a silent thanks, and then she slipped into the car and shut the door. There was ice cream to eat.


End file.
